A Day Off
by Measured
Summary: "I'm the boss, so I might as well be able to call a vacation day once in a while." Ike/Soren.


Title: A Day Off  
Series: Fire Emblem  
Character/pairing: Ike/Soren, Oscar  
Rating: PG  
Author's note: cottoncandy_bingo: huddling under the covers. Rainy days where I live make me go NOPE.

**.**

Soren could hear the patter of rain against the window. Mist would be none too pleased, considering that there were piles of laundry to do. He shifted, his back to Ike. For a moment, he pulled the covers back, but the chill of the air sent him right back under. It'd been raining on and off for a week, and it had left everyone, even Mist, in a foul mood. The mud was thick and deep enough that more than a few shoes had been lost to it. They hadn't seen a customer in days, not even people to pull wagons from the muck.

Soren always tried to get out of bed quietly, though this was more of a formality as it took little short of an earthquake or a surprise ambush to get Ike up early. Today, he found his progress blocked by thick, strong arms encircling his waist.

"Not today," Ike said.

"You're up already?" Soren said, surprised.

"No, I'm not," Ike said. "And I'm not going to be."

"You aren't?" Soren said, humoring him.

"I call a day off," Ike said.

"A day off?" Soren said.

"Nobody's going to come out in this weather. We can't train in it. I suppose you could do figures and things, but I'd be just pacing around, wishing to be under the covers again. I'm the boss, so I might as well be able to call a vacation day once in a while."

"I see. I'll make the necessary preparations...though you'll have to let go of me to do so," Soren said.

Ike tightened his grip.

"Do your really want to go with Boyd and Kieran coming to bother you, and a cold breakfast?" Soren said.

Ike reluctantly released his grip. "Make it quick, all right, Soren? That's an order."

"Yes, sir," Soren said.

Soren got out of bed and pulled out a piece of parchment. He dipped the quill in the inkwell, and scrawled a quick message.

"You remembered to not put any death threats this time, right?" Ike said. He leaned on his elbow, which made the sheets fall back, revealing quite a bit of chest. It was quite an inviting sight, indeed.

"This time, yes. I can't guarantee next time, however," Soren said.

"Every time you're not threatening to fire Shinon and Boyd is a victory for me," Ike said.

"I'll be back in a moment," Soren said.

He made his way to the kitchen, where Oscar was brewing a pot of tea. The sink was full of dirty dishes from last night—apparently Rolf and Boyd had come to a stalemate on whose turn it was to wash.

"Lovely morning, huh?" Oscar said.

Soren simply stared at him.

"My humor is wasted on you, as usual," Oscar said. "Ike isn't up yet? "

Soren laid the paper down. "He's still in bed. The company is having a day off."

"I suppose that excludes me?" Oscar said with a smile.

"If you don't feel like cooking, then it's your business," Soren said.

"Nah, Boyd would complain up a storm. You know how cranky he gets when he's hungry," Oscar said. "I don't know how Kieran will deal with this, though. Last time I tried to teach him the concept of a vacation...well, you were there, you remember it."

"It's hardly something I like to remember fondly," Soren said. "Regardless, you could always send him out to chop wood or some other menial task. He'll take the elements as a challenge," Soren said.

"He would, too. But he got pretty sick last time, so it's for the best that I don't. I'm sure I can find some furniture for him to move, anyways. Should I make you a lunch? Knowing you, you're straight towards the library."

"Pack enough for two. And I don't just mean that Ike is extra hungry today," Soren said.

"You're taking a day off? I never thought I'd see the day," Oscar said.

Soren didn't respond.

"Well, I supposed stranger things have happened," Oscar said. There was a crash in the other room, and Oscar sighed. "Most of them involve Kieran."

Oscar gathered a lunch together in a sack, Soren had glimpsed Shepard's Pies and apples, though not everything else, as Oscar had hastened his work when another crash was heard in the other room.

"This should keep you both," Oscar said.

"Thank you," Soren replied curtly. He took the bag and turned away, just as Oscar wiped his hands on his apron and hurried out to check on the commotion.

As Ike had declared it a day off, Soren did not go into the other room and glare at Kieran, as he usually would have. He did, however, mentally do the figures for how much would have to be subtracted from Kieran's paycheck _this _ time.

_"A DAY OFF? WHAT CRUEL JOKE IS THIS? A CRIMEAN KNIGHT DOES NOT TAKE A DAY OFF! VALOR STOPS FOR NO MAN!" _ bellowed a familiar voice from the other room.

Soren just kept walking. Today, it was not his problem.

**.**

"That was longer than a moment," Ike said.

"Oscar is as talkative as ever," Soren said.

He laid the bag on the side of the bed, and crawled in. "Breakfast," he said.

Ike paid a suspicious lack of attention to the food.

"You aren't hungry?"

"I'll eat in a minute," Ike said. "You think I'd choose it over you?"

"It's Shepard's Pie," Soren said.

Ike pulled Soren a little closer. "Tempting, but still second place."

Soren smiled to himself as Ike wrapped his arms about him. Although the smile more resembled a smirk. He looked in triumph at the bag of food, which hadn't usurped his place in Ike's heart.

"Ah, you're cold. Let me warm you up," Ike said. He rubbed Soren's hands between his own, and kissed his knuckles.

The day had improved considerably already, in Soren's point of view.


End file.
